Running during pregnancy - am I ok to run for an hour?

[iwouldgoouttonight]

I've been continuing to run since I found out I'm pregnant (I'm 14 weeks now) but have been taking it really easy, going quite a lot slower and making sure I don't get too out of breath. Last night I ran for an hour and felt fine, could talk while running, although did feel quite warm at the end. Today a friend told me you should only run for half an hour otherwise your body will overheat and there won't be enough blood going to the baby, and this has made me really worried! Also my stomach muscles ache today - its definitely muscle ache (a bit like if you've done too many sit ups) rather than period pain type aching.

Am I right in continuing to run or is my friend right in saying I should stop after half an hour? I was reading a thread yesterday where someone who was a personal trainer gave some good advice but I can't find it today!

Thefearlessfreak - I got told by my pregnancy trained personal trainer that running, or any other cardio exercise you've not done before, isnt a great idea to take up in pregnancy as you'll be putting your body under exertions that it is not used to and you're in more danger of overheating (which isnt great for the baby). Its best to try and keep going with exercise you already do and are used to, unless you get a pregnancy trained personal trainer who can safely supervise you.

I'm here! been on hol with the in-laws but that's a tale for another thread...

am likely to agree with dinky stinky I'm afraid - when did you last go on a run? It could be quite a shock to your system now. One of the more difficult aspects of fitness in pregnancy is that some lucky people feel so good that the tendency is to overdo it. What was the last exercise you did/how frequently?

you could replace the running with a different cardio that's safer/lower impact - talk me through what you were doing before you found out you were pregnant?

Yes, yes, yes.. I ran until i was 37 weeks, for an hour or so at a time... I competed in half marathons etc... before i was pregnant.. Just watch your heart rate, not more than 145... I had a healthy baby boy, bang on my due date, 4 hour labour with just a few sniffs of gas and air. I told my community midwife when I met her that i ran and she said birth was like a marathoin, you needed to train for it...

Hatcam- I am in the same situation as the fearless freak. I ran a 1/2 marathon 4 weeks ago and have only run once since then (have done Tae Bo several times). I have been a runner for the past 6 years, running 2 marathons and a half marathon and 10ks a couple times a year. I just found out I am pregnant. I am probably only like 1 week! (Just had my first postive hpt) I want to start back running but am not sure if 4 weeks is too long of a break. I only plan on trying to run around 3-4 miles for as long as my body will allow. What is your opinion?

Hi! I am 22 weeks along with a baby boy and am still actively running between 26 and 35 miles per week. I am crosstraining using the elliptical and stairmaster while still lifting weights. Yesterday was the first day while running I felt "pregnant" my uterus felt heavier and painful (round ligament pain). I am also having about 10 Braxton Hicks per day currently which my OB says is normal and a good sign! I plan to keep running until it is too uncomfortable which will hopefully be never! I am going much slower, I used to do about 8 miles in an hour and am now able to do abuot 6.5. My OB said as long as you were doing it prior to pregnancy it is fine!

hatcam, i am 12 weeks pregnant and i have asked lots of different people about exercising. including running, x-trainer and bike. you are the first person who has given a clear answer. thank you!! i have also been getting some soreness in my upper abs, which was a bit of a worry but im now convinced my posture during running has something to do with it. As for over heating. still a bit of a mystery. anyone got advice on how to monitor this? should i not be getting out of breath?
thanks again

What about your pelvic floor muscles - Ive heard that running can do damage to the bladder/pelvic floor muscle and can cause pro lapse (old lady thing where 'lady garden' inners hang, erm - outside).

Im sure it was something like 6/8 weeks to stop running before the uterus starts to put pressure on the bladder, pelvic muscles and running would damage.

Im all for exercise, do bodypump and swimming and am 15 weeks but I gave up running and jumping about too much to walk 5 miles round hilly area couple of times a week. I like my bits where they are thank you!!

Hi, I just wanted to say that I have been really enjoying this thread. I am six weeks and have been a really keen runner for a few years previously. It has been lovely to hear from like-minded ladies and get some sensible and knowledgable advice. Hatcam - what a legend!

I am still running but really slowly and for up to half an hour. Have really enjoyed pottering around the park and body seems to be fine!

This a great thread which I thought worthy of resurrection.

Can anyone shed some light on how to define and monitor the overheating? I am 10 weeks and still running on the treadmill. I limit myself to a 15 minute run, but would like to do more if it is safe to do so. I do drink whilst I'm on the treadmill so keeping hydrated? Should I not be breaking a sweat?

I ran til 36 weeks and 34 weeks with my 2 pregnancies sometimes for over an hour (including some races).

Run at the speed of chat, drink plenty and rest/walk if you feel you need to (basically everything Hatcam said).

Just want to applaud hatcam for such sensible and well informed posts. There's so much complete twaddle around about exercise and risk in pregnancy, I've found it v frustrating!

I'm a moderate daily exerciser at 32 weeks, and feel SO much more energetic/happier/less stiff for keeping it up. I was a keen runner before getting pregnant, but haven't run as a preggo purely cos it's just not been comfy for me, and there are other things I can do that are. Really looking forward to getting back into it though, and I think it's lovely that some of you are still enjoying it.

I ran up to 28 weeks. Did a 10k race at exactly 6 months pregnant! I didn't 'race' it, and obviously my time was much slower than usual, but I finished in 1 hour 5 mins which wasn't bad for a lady entering her 3 rd trimester.....and that included stopping for a pee in a pub halfway round!!

Persnickety - I'm not sure on that one either and it's been worrying me as I'm getting hot so much quicker these days. I figured that probably the same advice as for baths applied - if you get red or uncomfortable, then you're too hot. I know I start sweating when exercising, but I don't go red or feel uncomfortable if it's something I'm used to.

I think if you're starting back up after a break, you need to see how it goes and take it easy, make sure you warm up and cool down well etc. I've been not exercising during much of the first trimester as I've been so ill and have been getting dizzy when I do, but I'm starting to feel better now and am considering getting back to using my elliptical. But that's lower impact than running (why I use it as I have dodgy knees and hips anyway).

Can I just agree with bevlin. I was a very keen long dis
tance runner pre pregnancy. I continued running during pregnancy. I now have a vaginal prolapse (11months pp). The two physios I see have both said that they really don't recommend running in pregnancy purely because of the stress it places on the pelvic floor and suggest low impact exercise until 6months pp. I know it's not what you want to hear if you love running but I wish I had had and heeded this advice. I am now in the position of still being unable to run which is such a huge loss to me .

Persnickety, I really think you go with how you're feeling. If you feel too hot or dehydrated, then you are. Stop or slow down before you think you might be uncomfortably dry/hot.

So sorry to hear about your problems, Bellamysbride. The women I know who have had severe prolapse (very incapacitating, required surgery) were complete non-exercisers who simply had too many (4) babies relatively close together (within 8 yrs, er, ahem, like I did!).

But I also ran for up to an hour thru 2 pregnancies, maybe some of us are just lucky (so far).

I have had bladder incontinence issues since DD's rotational forceps birth 18 months ago. The physio who worked with me to 10 months postnatally still suggested I avoided restarting running to help my pelvic floor retain as much strength as possible (had done a charity 5k before DD's pregnancy and was enjoying it as a new hobby, but I didn't run through pregnancy).

I got the impression that she thought I should choose another form of exercise longterm given my pelvic floor was so horribly battered in birth. Miss running though.

I have had no pelvic floor issues from runing through both pregnacies but I have never had a VB, or even been in labour (ELCS). Most of my friends (running and non running) received their damage/ongoing problems as a result of the birth.

Lulu, I think your midwife is erring on the side of caution because she (obviously) doesn't know anything about exercise in pregnancy.